Beechcraft Starship

Beechcraft Starship
Country	USA
Role	Executive transport
Produced	1983–1995
Built	53

The Beechcraft Starship is a twin-turboprop six- to eight-passenger pressurized business aircraft produced by Beech Aircraft Corporation. Notable for its unusual canard design and extensive use of carbon fiber composite, it did not sell many units and production ceased in 1995, only six years after the Starship’s first flight.

Source: Beechcraft Starship on Wikipedia

Beechcraft Starship 2000A Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Future of Flight, Paine Field, Everett, WA
Photos	62

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 01

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 02

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 03

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 04

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 05

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 06

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 07

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 08

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 09

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Beechcraft Model 2000 Starship Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Evergreen Air & Space Museum
Photos	116

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 01

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 02

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 03

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 04

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 05

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Beechcraft Starship 2000A 07

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 08

Beechcraft Starship 2000A 09

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General Characteristics

The Beechcraft Starship was a radical, twin-turboprop business aircraft developed in the 1980s. Designed by Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites, it was groundbreaking for its all-composite airframe, rear-mounted pusher propellers, and forward canard wings, though it was a commercial failure.

Property	Value (2000A Production Model)
Role	Executive/Corporate Transport
Manufacturer	Beechcraft (Raytheon)
First Flight (Prototype)	August 1983
Crew	1 or 2 pilots
Capacity	6–8 passengers
Wingspan	16.6 m (54 ft 4 in)
Max Takeoff Weight	6,580 kg (14,500 lb)

Design and Powerplant

Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67 turboprop engines.
Power Output: 932 kW (1,250 hp) each (flat rated to 1,000 hp for takeoff).
Propellers: Five-bladed Hartzell pusher propellers located behind the wing.
Fuselage/Structure: The airframe was almost entirely constructed of advanced carbon fiber composite materials—one of the largest civilian aircraft of its time to use this technology.
Canard Design: Features a forward canard wing with winglets, making it a very stable and stall-resistant design. The main wing has a significant sweep.
Key Difference (2000A): This variant incorporated several improvements over the initial 2000 model, including higher cruise speeds and increased gross weight.

Performance and History

Maximum Cruise Speed: 620 km/h (385 mph, 335 knots) at 30,000 ft.
Maximum Range: Approximately 2,800 km (1,740 miles).
Service Ceiling: 12,500 m (41,000 ft).
Cockpit: Featured a “glass cockpit,” using the Collins EFIS-86 system, which was very advanced for a business aircraft of the late 1980s.
Commercial Status: Only 53 Starships were ever built, making it a major commercial disappointment for Beechcraft due to its high development cost, long gestation period, and complexity.
End of Life: Most Starships were repurchased by the manufacturer in the early 2000s and scrapped to reduce liability and maintenance costs, though a small handful remain in private hands.